Little observations
by clara oswin oswald 16
Summary: Maddie knew that sometimes she paid more attention to ghosts than her children, but she'd notice if they were keeping anything big from her. Right?


**Story requested by t-rex989**

Madeline Fenton liked to think she was a reasonably observant person. Sure she wasn't always entirely sure where her children where but she knew they weren't doing anything to dangerous and she was certain that she knew all the important stuff.

At least she had been until the food started disappearing.

At first she thought her husband, Jack was just eating more than usual but he insisted it had nothing to do with him when she confronted him.

Next she considered mice but the quantities of food that we're disappearing were far too large to be ordinary mice. Jack suggested that perhaps it was ghost mice and Maddie was inclined to agree with him. After all stealing food was a strange obsession but at the same time it was no stranger than obsessing over boxes or a school cafeteria menu.

This led to a frantic week if trying to catch the so called ghost mice but eventually other more important things came up and for a time Maddie all but forgot about the missing food.

The ghost mice were drawn back to the forefront of Maddie's mind about a week later when she started hearing noises upstairs.

It started innocently enough. She would hear laughter Jazzes room but when she went upstairs she would find Jazz sitting alone with her head buried in a book or she would here Danny talking to someone when he was alone in his room but when Maddie would confront him he would merely rub the back of his neck and mumble an unintelligible excuse.

Soon Maddie was hearing footsteps upstairs when she was sure she was alone in the house and still every time she went to investigate there was no one to be found.

This continued for some time. Maddie used various ghost trackers to try and catch whatever was haunting her home but no matter how many times she recalibrated them they kept leading her to Danny. Even when she waited until the kids had left for school Maddie found herself being continuously led to Danny's empty bedroom.

After a lot of discussion with jack Maddie decided on a course of action. She called her sister and asked if Danny and Jazz could spend their spring break with her which would leave the house clear of interference and allow Maddie to deal with the pesky ghost once and for all.

But once the children had left Maddie could no longer find any evidence of the ghost. She was beginning to think that it was all a stress induced illusion when she received a call from her sister.

"Maddie why didn't you tell me you had adopted a little girl?"

"Because I didn't" Maddie replied uncertainly

"Of course you did, little Danielle, she's just after arriving with her brother and sister" Alicia said

"I don't know any one called Danielle" Maddie said getting more and more confused by the second.

"Well a child who claimed to be your adopted daughter arrived with your children and both Danny and Jazz are vouching for her.

"I think I'd better get down their" Maddie said "It's probably best not to tell the kids I'm coming" she added after a moments thought not wanting the strange child to pull a runner before Maddie got a chance to speak to her.

"Alright see you soon Alicia replied before hanging up the phone.

Maddie and Jack discussed how best to deal with the situation on the drive to Alicia's cabin and eventually decided to get the children's side of the story before taking action.

The couple arrived just as everyone was sitting down for dinner. Maddie would have found the expressions on her children's faces funny under any other circumstances but she was too focused on the little girl at the end of the table to take in anything else.

The child was about eleven or twelve years old and had long black hair and bright blue eyes but what really struck Maddie was that bore a striking resemblance to Danny when he was younger. In fact looking at them sitting side by side they could have passed for twins.

"Explanations. Now." Maddie said using her best no nonsense voice.

"I don't suppose you'd kindly give us a few minutes to come up a believable excuse" the little girl piped up cheekily"

Maddie silenced her with a look but good god she even sounded like Danny.

The two girls turned to Danny who rubbed his neck nervously.

"Hey mom, this is Dani."

"With an i" Dani added

Now they even shared a name? This was getting ridiculous even by Maddies standards and she was a ghost hunter for Pete's sake!

"With an i" Danny repeated with a fond smile.

"And she looks just like you because?" Maddie prompted

The teens and preteen winced.

"You noticed that, huh?" Danny said once again rubbing the back of his neck nervously

"Yes I noticed "Maddie replied.

"Well you see IwaskidnappedbyanevilfruitloopwhotriedtocolonemeandDaniellesactuallymyclone"Danny blurted out.

Maddie blinked "okay try that again only slower."

"About a year ago I was kidnapped by a fruit loop who wanted to clone me in order to create the perfect son and Dani is that clone"

"But she's a girl" Jack pointed out speaking for the first time since they arrived

"We never said he was any good at cloning" Dani said by way of reply.

"She's been sleeping in my room for the past month" Danny admitted sheepishly.

That actually explained a lot.

"Where will I sleep now?" Dani asked sounding uncertain for the first since Maddie met her.

"Why you'll live with us, right Mads?" Jack replied leaving no room for arguments.

"Right" Maddie replied still in shock that she'd had a third child living under her roof for a month now without noticing anything that couldn't be explained away by ghosts. Maybe it was time she paid less attention to ghost fighting and more attention to her children.


End file.
